Travel with the ISEA President as she visits schools and communities across the state of Iowa!

Friday, December 15, 2006

A Visit to Clarion-Goldfield

On a crisp December 11th morning, the association road lead me to Clarion-Goldfield Schools in Clarion. My first stop of the day was at Clarion Elementary. Association leaders had a nice variety scheduled for me starting with reading to children in the Developmental Learning Center (3-4 year olds pre-school where instruction is centered around teaching children social integration skills). Pictured at left are Diana Kreitlow (teacher, on left) and Joan Voigts (teacher associate). Here I read the book Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type.

My next classroom visit took me into Jenny Kreitlow 1st Grade (pictured on the right) where I read Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge, to the children. Jenny serves as the Clarion-Goldfield EA Membership Chair. Thanks, Jenny for your leadership on Team ISEA!

Team ISEA UniServ Director from Unit Two, Cindy Carroll, was able to join me for the day in our visit to Clarion-Goldfield. Our next stop was in Cindy Anderson’s 1st Grade class. Cindy was absent, so providing instruction for the day was substitute teacher (retired teacher) Judy Gorder. Judy is pictured with Mrs. Anderson's class here at the left. I read aloud the book, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type.

Wandering through the elementary hallways on our way to the next classroom, UniServ Director Cindy and I came across this display (pictured at right). With all the pressures of NCLB (No Child Left Behind) and standardized tests, this really caught our attention!

Before breaking for lunch, I had the chance to speak with a classroom of 5th graders about careers. Pictured at left is Tanja Sanders and her homeroom of 5th grade students. I encouraged the class to think about teaching as a career. They shared how caring, compassionate individuals are their favorite teachers!

Following lunch I spoke to two different groups of 8th graders in the Middle School, again about careers. The first group I met with was in Mrs. Daphne Pogge's 8th grade reading class. Daphne is a first year teacher and explained to the students how she was a non-traditional student. She shared how she had her family first, then decided to go to college. She shared some of the challenges of going to school while having the responsibilities of being a parent. Mrs. Pogge and her 8th graders are pictured below on the left.

The last group of students I visited with was Margaret Askelsen 8th Grade Careers Class. The students came prepared with questions about teaching as a career and then we entered into the discussion of serving your community as a member of an elected board or running for the state legislature. Margaret Askelsen and her 8th graders are pictured below on the right.

We had a most engaging day with students and staff during our visit to Clarion Elementary and Clarion-Goldfield Middle School! We experienced the chance to see educators and support staff providing challenging experiences for students. We experienced first-hand students engaged in the thrist for learning.

And as the school day wound to a close, Clarion-Goldfield EA members gathered at the High School in Clarion for an association meeting. Pictured here (at left) is Clarion-Goldfield EA co-president Sue Mecham. Sue led the meeting of the dozen or so members gathered.

UniServ Director Cindy Carroll and I had a most enjoyable day! It is such a treat to see teachers and support staff work their magic--engaging students in meaningful and challenging activities! Thanks for all you're doing every day for Iowa's students!

About Me

I'm Linda Nelson, a fourth-grade teacher at Carter Lake Elementary School in Council
Bluffs. I'm on a leave of absence to serve as President of the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA). I was re-elected in March 2006 to serve a second 2-year term until June of 2008. I invite you to take a look at all the great educators and students I meet when I'm on the road visiting Iowa's schools!